Aglaonema plant named ‘Mukmina’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Aglaonema  plant named ‘Mukmina’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely clumping habit; vigorous and robust growth habit; relatively short internodes giving a dense and full plant form; large oblong leaves speckled with pale yellow and yellow green-colored random markings with contrasting dark green-colored random markings and margins; dark green-colored petioles; and relative tolerance to low temperatures.

Botanical designation: Aglaonema hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘MUKMINA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Aglaonema plant, botanically known as Aglaonema hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Mukmina’.

The new Aglaonema plant is the product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India. The objective of the breeding program is to create new full, dense and compact Aglaonema plants with good plant vigor, interesting and unique leaf shapes and variegation patterns, resistance to pathogens and pests and tolerance to low temperatures.

The new Aglaonema plant is the product of a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor on Mar. 6, 2004 of Aglaonema hybrida ‘Gold Dust’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,497, as the female, or seed, parent with a selection of Aglaonema costatum N.E. Br. var. costatum f. costatum commonly referred to as Spotted Evergreen, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Aglaonema plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in September, 2005 as a single plant from within the resultant progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Tiruporur, Chennai, India.

Asexual reproduction of the new Aglaonema plant by cuttings and divisions in a controlled environment in Tiruporur, Chennai, India since September, 2005 has shown that the unique features of this new Aglaonema plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Aglaonema have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Mukmina’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Mukmina’ as a new and distinct Aglaonema plant:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely clumping habit.     -   3. Vigorous and robust growth habit.     -   4. Relatively short internodes giving a dense and full plant         form.     -   5. Large oblong leaves speckled with pale yellow and yellow         green-colored random markings with contrasting dark         green-colored random markings and margins.     -   6. Dark green-colored petioles.     -   7. Relatively tolerant to low temperatures.

Plants of the new Aglaonema differ from plants of the female parent, ‘Gold Dust’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aglaonema are taller and more vigorous than         plants of ‘Gold Dust’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema are larger than and not         as flat as leaves of plants of ‘Gold Dust’.     -   3. Plants of the new Aglaonema and ‘Gold Dust’ differ in leaf         coloration, variegation pattern and midvein color.     -   4. Plants of the new Aglaonema and ‘Gold Dust’ differ in leaf         petiole color.

Plants of the new Aglaonema differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aglaonema are more vigorous and more         uniform than plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Aglaonema have larger leaves than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Aglaonema and the male parent selection         differ in leaf shape, coloration, variegation pattern and         midvein color.

Plants of the new Aglaonema can be compared to plants of Aglaonema hybrida ‘Emerald Star’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,659. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India, plants of the new Aglaonema differed from plants of ‘Emerald Star’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aglaonema had shorter internodes and were         denser and fuller than plants of ‘Emerald Star’.     -   2. Plants of the new Aglaonema and ‘Emerald Star’ differed in         leaf shape, coloration and variegation pattern.     -   3. Plants of the new Aglaonema and ‘Emerald Star’ differed in         leaf petiole color.

Plants of the new Aglaonema can also be compared to plants of Aglaonema hybrida ‘Stars’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,247. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India, plants of the new Aglaonema differed from plants of ‘Stars’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aglaonema had shorter internodes and were         denser and fuller than plants of ‘Stars’.     -   2. Plants of the new Aglaonema and ‘Stars’ differed in leaf         shape, coloration and variegation pattern.     -   3. Plants of the new Aglaonema and ‘Stars’ differed in leaf         petiole color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Aglaonema plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Aglaonema plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Mukmina’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 25-cm containers in Miami, Fla. during the summer and autumn in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse. Plants were grown under environmental conditions and cultural practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Aglaonema production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 27° C. to 37° C., night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 26° C. and light levels averaged 1,500 foot-candles. Plants were one year old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Aglaonema hybrida ‘Mukmina’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Aglaonema hybrida ‘Gold Dust’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,497.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Selection of Aglaonema costatum             N.E. Br. var. costatum f. costatum commonly referred to as             Spotted Evergreen, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings and divisions.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 21 to 28 days at             25° C. to 32° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 30 to 40 days at             12° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 to 35             days at 25° C. to 32° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant roots, winter.—About 45             to 60 days at 12° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fleshy, medium in thickness; off-white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; profuse, high density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and outwardly spreading             plant habit; freely clumping habit; relatively short             internodes giving a compact, dense, full and symmetrical             habit; vigorous growth habit; developing leaves initially             upright, then spreading outwardly with development.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of leaf plane.—About 56             cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 95 cm.         -   Stem description.—Clumping habit: Plants of the new             Aglaonema are freely clumping with about 22 clumps             developing per plant. Aspect: Mostly upright. Strength:             Strong; somewhat flexible. Diameter, at the base: About             1.9 cm. Internode length, at the base: About 1 cm. Color:             Close to 144A. Cataphylls: None observed. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate to whorled; simple.         -   Length.—About 25 cm.         -   Width.—About 14 cm.         -   Shape.—Oblong.         -   Apex.—Cuspidate.         -   Base.—Obtuse with oblique tendencies.         -   Margin.—Entire; slightly undulate, curled.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Along midveins,             margins and random markings, close to 147A; contrasted with             random markings, closest to 4D; midvein, close to 148D;             lateral venation, same as leaf coloration. Developing             leaves, lower surface: Along midveins, margins and random             markings, closest to 137A; contrasted with random markings,             closest to 157A to 157C; midvein, close to 146A to 146B;             lateral venation, same as leaf coloration. Fully expanded             leaves, upper surface: Along midveins, margins and random             markings, close to 147A; contrasted with random markings,             closest to 4D, 150B, 150C, 150D and/or 154D; midvein, close             to 148C to 148D; lateral venation, same as leaf coloration.             Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Along midveins,             margins and random markings, closest to 137A; contrasted             with random markings, closest to 157A to 157C; midvein,             close to 146A to 146B; lateral venation, same as leaf             coloration.         -   Petiole.—Aspect: Mostly erect, outwardly spreading with             development. Length: About 19.5 cm. Diameter, distal: About             5 mm. Diameter, proximal, flattened: About 2.2 cm. Strength:             Strong; flexible. Color, distal: Close to 147A. Color,             proximal: Between 147B and 146A; area adjacent to stem,             close to 157A to 157C. Wing length: About 10 cm. Wing             diameter, base: About 5 mm. Wing color, inner and outer             surfaces: Close to 147A; towards the base, between 147B and             146A; area adjacent to stem, close to 157A to 157C. -   Inflorescence description: Inflorescence development has not been     observed on plants of the new Aglaonema. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Aglaonema have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Aglaonema. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Aglaonema have been     observed to be relatively low temperature tolerant and to tolerate     temperatures ranging from about 15° C. to about 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Aglaonema plant named ‘Mukmina’ as illustrated and described. 